Thomas Hurley III's appearance on the TV quiz show "Jeopardy!" and set tongues - and fingers - wagging and now he's spelling out his disagreement over the result.

For his final answer in the "Jeopardy!" Kids Week game that aired July 31, the 12-year-old Newtown, Conn., boy misspelled "Emancipation Proclamation" - he wrote "Emanciptation Proclamation." Even though the answer was correct, judges and show host Alex Trebek said they couldn't accept it because it was "badly misspelled," according to Trebek.

Having gotten the answer correct wouldn't have made a difference to the outcome. Skyler Hornback, who also had the correct answer with the correct spelling, has $36,600 going into the final round. Thomas had $9,600, of which he'd wagered $3,000 on the outcome of the final round.

Hornback, 12, of Sonora, Ky., wagered $30,000, ending up with $66,000. That was the highest one-day total for a "Jeopardy!" Kids Week game and the third-highest one-day total in ever, according to the show.

The decision to disqualify Thomas' answer unleashed criticism on the program's Facebook page from viewers who thought the decision on spelling was harsh. Others found Trebek's explanation rude and inappropriate.

In a statement overnight, "Jeopardy!" producers defended the decision, telling ABC News: "If Jeopardy! were to give credit for an incorrect response (however minor), the show would effectively penalize the other players."

Hurley's mother, Suzanne, said her son was "a little stunned" by the loss.

"He felt embarrassed," she told the News-Times. "It was hard to watch."